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Not Going to Plan

Sometimes things don't work out how you plan. I have been crazy busy finishing up last assignments and doing some self-litigation stuff (not my strong point), general life and having to balance a new (smaller) small budget. I'm pretty exhausted actually but the beautiful light at the end of the tunnel was a wedding last Saturday. I thought I would finish my economics assignment and hand it in and then start a dress to wear for Saturday.  I didn't think it was hard to do as I had all Friday night and Saturday till about 2pm and it was a simple cowl dress I was going to make.


Yes, I was going to but it didn't get done. I was so busy that I did not even have time to place the pattern pieces on the fabric and when I did on Friday night, I didn't have enough.  I think if I am creative with placement (as it's all cut on the bias it's a fabric hog) I could get the dress out of it, but I didn't have time to do that so I went to the shops and bought a dress!


I don't like buying dresses that I could make but it was a special occasion and I was signing the register as a witness so I wanted to look nice - ended up buying nice dressy black wedges - not the sort of shoe you find often so I don't mind buying those.





This is the pattern I was going to use and the fabric. It is pretty true to the colours. I bought this in Singapore in one of the fabric shops in Little India. It's a washable silk and to tell you the truth I wouldn't have believed it except that it is printed along the selvage.  (I don't know why we don't wash silk because in the process of making silk don't they soak the cocoons to unravel the silk?) It has burn out (is that what it is called?) parts so I need to get lining for this also.It has a beautiful hand and I will definitely make this for next summer and hope I have somewhere to wear it! Oh just to indicate how good prices are in Singapore; this was S$8 per metre! I was at the stopover end of a 7 week European trip so there was only room for about 2 pieces of fabric but I love it!


I also found a Vogue Basics pattern from the '70's ('80's??) that is for a cape and I have some backed wool/synthetic mix my Mum bought in the '70's in a lime green that I thought would go perfectly with this dress.  I didn't make that either but I will try to make that for winter. Do I really need a cape in Brisbane? No and I don't think it'll get much wear because so far it's been about 14 degrees celsius at night and 24 in the day. I have about 4 weeks to go before this semester finishes and so I have some sewing plans I can't wait to get to and maybe (hopefully) painting the kitchen!

Comments

prttynpnk said…
That looks lovely- but rushed sewing can make you so fabric resentful- I'm sure you looked amazing anyway.
Diana said…
You sound like a very busy woman! Just think one day a long time from now ,you'll retire and have all the time you want in which to sew!Lol.
The fabric is lovely and the pattern suits it IMO.
LinB said…
That silk is amazing -- it will look wonderful on you. I think the pattern is from the 90s. Asymmetrical hemlines didn't come in style in the U.S. until the early 90s. I have a similar pattern (from McCalls or Buttericks, can't remember which) for sleeveless dresses with the same sort of diamond-shaped drape on the skirt, that I bought in 1999 and made up for Easter of 2001. I added flutter sleeves to disguise my middle-aged lumpy upper arms. The dress ended up looking very 1920s. Where did I put that dress, anyway? Is it shoved to the back of the closet? Has it gone the way of all flesh? Have a lovely time at the wedding, Sophia; and best wishes for a successful end-of-semester in school.

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